The present application is claiming priority of French Patent Application No. 99/03185 filed on Mar. 12, 1999 and PCT Patent Application No. PCT/FR00/03185 filed on Mar. 10, 2000.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a work station used to carry out one or more repetitive tasks determined by an operator during the manufacture of a product manufactured from several components, such as assembly, machining, inspection or the like, comprising a support table and several elements juxtaposed on the support table, said elements comprising at least one storage zone and/or one support zone and/or one transfer zone and/or one work zone.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Such stations exist on the market but the elements that compose them are in general already integrated in the support table. These stations can thus only be used for a single type of product to be assembled. This means that it is necessary to have almost as many work stations as types of products to be assembled, which involves a very large investment. This type of station is notably described in publication FR-A-2,756,506 which defines a support table in the form of a three-dimensional one-piece shell integrating compartments directly making up said zones or compartments arranged to receive the elements comprising these zones.
There are other stations in which the elements are simply positioned on the support table. The elements can then be removed at will to modify the structure of the work station. Nevertheless, the elements have different shapes and when they are switched around, empty spaces are created into which components may fall. The elements may also become displaced with regard to one another due to the effect of vibrations created, for example, by the machines arranged under the support table. In this case as well, gaps may be formed in which dust and components accumulate.
There are still other stations in which the elements are removable and housed in a fixed support. For example, publication U.S. Pat. No. 1,642,771 describes an assembly carousel formed of identical removable triangular compartments placed side by side in the order of assembly of the parts. In addition, publication U.S. Pat. No. 3,715,972 describes a cleaning station provided with several removable vats placed side by side within a framework and interchangeable as needed. Nevertheless, the design of these work stations does not permit offering a large choice of combinations, nor creating three-dimensional stations. Consequently, their applications are relatively limited.
The present invention seeks to alleviate these disadvantages by proposing a work station according to elements that can be set up as modules, which permit setting up the station with the product to be assembled, which are easy to implement, which permit obtaining a station of great tidiness, and which allow a broad range of combinations and geometries both in two and three dimensions.
With this object, the invention concerns a work station of the type indicated in the preamble, characterized in that it comprises a framework made up of at least two subunits having complementary shapes so as to be assembled together in order to be interchangeable and set up as modules, each subunit being solidly mounted on the support table and arranged to define compartments, each compartment having a shape designed to receive an element and in that said elements are held in the framework subunits by removable assembly means so that these elements can be set up as modules as a function of the components handled, the apparatuses and accessories used, the product to be manufactured and the morphology of the operator.
According to a first form of embodiment, the subunits of the framework are made up of an assembly of plates and multidirectional joining pieces, said plates having ends with shapes complementary to said joining pieces so as to be assembled with one another to make up said compartments. These plates can have at least one through-hole designed to receive an attachment screw for attaching said plate to the support table.
According to a second form of embodiment, the subunits of the framework are made up of an assembly of prefabricated frame pieces in shapes designed to receive an element, said frame pieces having assembly means of complementary shape in order to be fastened to one another. These assembly means can be made up of at least one vertical guide groove provided on each side of the frame pieces, the guide groove of one side being offset with regard to that provided on the opposite side of the frame piece.
According to a third form of embodiment, the subunits of the framework are made up of an assembly of profiles having complementary vertical slots so that the profiles can be inserted in one another to form said compartment.
The station according to the invention may include a finishing cover piece to receive the periphery of the framework. Said cover can have on its inner surface at least one rib engaged in a corresponding recess provided on the joining piece.
In an advantageous manner, the elements have an edge roughly at a right angle and of a sufficient width to rest, according to the variants, on the upper end of a joining piece or on the upper edge of their compartment, when the elements are placed in their compartment. In a particularly advantageous manner, the corners of the edge of the elements are chamfered and said removable assembly means are made up of pins or screws having a head with a diameter greater than the empty space defined by the chamfer and at least one shaft provided to be pushed into or screwed into at least one opening provided in the upper end of the joining piece.
Preferably, the elements have shapes suitable for their functions. Some, for example, may have at least one raised edge to facilitate gripping of components. Some can also comprise grooves on their bottom to facilitate the gripping of the components.
The station may also be equipped with elements of upright form arranged on the elements already placed on the framework. So as to immobilize said upright elements, gripping pieces are provided between the elements and the pins. These gripping pieces can have an opening of dimensions designed to closely fit with the head of a pin. They can be attached by gluing, screwing or riveting.
The present invention also concerns the arranged elements in order to be used in the work station defined above.